Applied Materials, Inc. vs Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund — how do they compare? Applied Materials, Inc. trades at $575.96 (market cap $478.36B), while Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund trades at $55.88. The key difference: Applied Materials, Inc. pays a 0.35% dividend while Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AMAT | XLE | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $478.36B | — |
Sector | Technology | — |
52-Week High | $723.00 | $62.57 |
52-Week Low | $156.25 | $42.12 |
Enterprise Value | $477.39B | — |
Dividend Yield | 0.35% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Applied Materials (AMAT) trades at $602.50, up 2.35% recently, with strong technical support near $573 and resistance at $617. The company demonstrates robust fundamentals, including a 29.31% net income margin and consistent earnings beats, while benefiting from AI-driven semiconductor demand highlighted in recent CEO commentary (CNBC, 2026-05-28).
Outlook remains positive given analyst consensus of $644.33 price target and 76.9% buy ratings, though elevated P/E of 56.68 poses valuation risk. Key opportunities include AI infrastructure growth, while risks involve cyclical semiconductor demand and execution challenges in scaling operations.
XLE, the Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF, trades at $55.08, up 0.49% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and neutral oscillators. The ETF has gained 21% year-to-date as of July 2, 2026 (ETF Trends), benefiting from oil price volatility and geopolitical tensions. Recent news highlights sector strength, though oil price fluctuations and concentration in 21 holdings pose considerations.
Outlook remains supported by energy demand and disciplined capital expenditure, but risks include oil price sensitivity and political pressure. Analyst sentiment is mixed, with technical strength offsetting fundamental valuation gaps. The dividend yield and expense ratio advantages are positive, yet investors face volatility from crude market dynamics and election-related policy shifts.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Applied Materials is the world's largest supplier of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, providing materials engineering solutions to help make nearly every chip in the world. The firm's systems are used in nearly every major process step with the exception of lithography. Key tools include those for chemical and physical vapor deposition, etching, chemical mechanical polishing, wafer- and reticle-inspection, critical dimension measurement, and defect-inspection scanning electron microscopes.
Read more on AMAT →In seeking to track the performance of the index, the fund employs a replication strategy. It generally invests substantially all, but at least 95%, of its total assets in the securities comprising the index. The index includes companies that have been identified as energy companies by the GICS®, including securities of companies from the following industries: oil, gas and consumable fuels; and energy equipment and services. It is non-diversified.
Read more on XLE →